The Eternal Sanctum - Chapter 1

A soft sound resounded as a drop of water detached from the ceiling. Gracefully falling, its descent was forcefully interrupted as a swirling river directly underneath devoured the drop, completely ravaging and assimilating it without another trace.

The next moment, tranquility had returned, the river’s soft gurgle the only reminder of the drop of water’s presence. Above, the ceiling strained to give more, another drop gradually coalescing on the underside of the concrete surface.

Suddenly, slow, quiet footsteps echoed, accompanied by light pants. There beside the water channel, limped a young girl dressed in a pair of jeans and a simple cotton shirt, appearing no more than eighteen years old.

Pressing her hand on the wall to support her fatigued body, she walked for a few steps more, slumping against the cold concrete surface as she panted for breath. Shrugging her shoulders and allowing the small bag slung around her body to fall onto the ground, she rummaged through to extract a plastic bottle of water.

Popping the cap with trembling fingers, she achingly raised the bottle to her lips. However, she allowed no more than a few sips before setting it back down once more. Massaging her chest to ease her breathing, the girl packed the bottle, holstering the bag before limping once more.

Once again, the soft chuckle of the river harmonized with the gradually ragged breathing of the young girl. Eventually, she could take no more, her legs giving out from the fatigue.

Her body collapsing and embracing the cold concrete once more, the girl lightly groaned when the rough surface brushed across her sensitive skin, yet did nothing more than pull herself into a sitting position.

“I didn’t think you would run this far, and for so long. Truly impressive!”

The soft sound of clapping and a man’s appraising voice entered her ears, triggering forth a wave of disgust, hatred, and apprehension within the girl. Leaning her head towards its source, she discovered a man’s outline observing her from the edge of the water channel, slowly approaching.

When he had come to a distance close enough for her to view his features, she almost couldn’t contain her emotions, struggling to maintain an indifferent facial expression.

“That mirror had never left my possession ever since grandfather passed it to me. It’s just that the mirror suddenly disappeared a week ago!”

“Have you forgotten where you last placed it then?” the man raised an eyebrow, a graceful smile breaking out on his countenance.

Though it was a gentle, warm smile, it represented the devil’s leer in the girl’s eyes.

“That’s fine, everything is fine,” the man continued. Rummaging in his pocket, he extracted a pair of entwined wires, dangling them before the girl’s eyes.

“Father can help you remember where you placed the mirror.”

Firmly pinching one end with his index finger and thumb, the man pierced the girl’s right thigh with the wire, eliciting a pained groan from the latter. With a light chuckle, the man began to rotate the wires, the sharp diamond edges on its surface wreaking havoc within the girl’s leg.

Amidst the hiss of pain, scarlet blood soaked the jeans and dripped onto the grey concrete.

“Why don’t you hurry and confess?” The man crooned, giving the wires a fierce jerk, causing the girl to fiercely shudder as her eyes snapped open, unfocused and with dilated pupils.

“If you hurry and tell Father, Father will end your pain.”

“Did…I…not tell…you…already-ah!”

The girl haltingly spoke, a scream swallowing her final words as the wires tore through her tendon, blood spurting all over the ground. Withdrawing the intertwined wires, the man produced a handkerchief, slowly wiping the deadly pieces of coiled steel.

“You’re indeed correct, I did hear a statement from you,” he smirked.

“However, it wasn’t a statement I was searching for, nor was it one I liked. Fei’er, when will you stop being so stubborn? Father has another business meeting in half an hour, let’s get this over with quickly, and we can both be on our ways!”

“Be on…our ways?” The girl laughed once more.

“Aren’t you simply going to kill me once you get the answer you wanted?”

The man nodded. Gazing at the girl’s ragged appearance, the threads on the jeans beginning to fray and tear as well as the various burnt spots in her clothing, the man could not help but cluck his tongue in distaste.

“You’re quite ragged these days. Shouldn’t you find it in yourself to wear cleaner clothes, as my daughter?”

“Hah!” the girl spat.

“Chased by you, chased by the government, hell, even the world, who would have time to wear fancy clothing such as you, oh great father?”

“That’s indeed a shame,” the man spoke. Seemingly desiring to speak further, he was suddenly interrupted by a melodious ring. Extracting the vibrating phone with a grimace, he turned away before answering the call.

Ending the call, he turned back to the girl, distaste evident on his countenance. Washing it to the customary polite expression, the man reached forward to grab the girl’s bag as he departed, his voice resounding throughout the spacious, dimly lit tunnel.

“My cute little daughter, Father will return in a few hours, perhaps a day at most. Until then, be obedient and stay there, alright?”